The Game of Love
by sudoku.addict
Summary: House is bored. Annoying Cuddy is fun. But what are the consequences?
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone, I'm going try my hand at a longer Huddy fic this time around. I know I'm terrible at finishing fics, but I'm really gonna try to finish this one, I promise. Someone kick me if I leave it.

...

It was late afternoon at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and Dr. Gregory House sat alone at his desk twirling his cane and watching the dust float around in the streaks of sun shining through his half-closed blinds. He craned his neck and looked into the conference room, wrinkling his nose at the inactivity he saw. Cameron sat at the table, a large stack of papers before her. Foreman and Chase were working on separate crossword puzzles, clearly in a race to see who would finish first. So in other words, his team was sitting on their asses doing absolutely nothing. And he was also doing absolutely nothing. He had no case. Hadn't had one since his last close shave with the Pelman case. The girl would've died if House hadn't gone around the rules again and performed that biopsy. Lucky for her, House was right, as usual. Life saved, parents happy, House happy. The board, and Cuddy, wasn't so happy with him, of course. But you can't always get what you want.

But now House was bored. He felt like his brain was going to disintegrate if this constant state of boredom went on any longer. Well, of course he had clinic duty, but everyone knows even brainless morons can diagnose what comes into the clinic. So that was out as far as "fun factors" go. Definitely one flag, and House wanted all Six.

Letting his cane thud to the ground, House squeaked out of his chair and walked out of his office, saying to his team as he went, "Be right back guys. I have a theory that Nurse Brenda's pregnant. I'm gonna go ask her."

Chase and Foreman shook their heads at each other, and Cameron only rolled her eyes.

House limped down the hallways, anticipating one of his favorite activities: Cuddy-annoying. It never failed to brighten his day! Countless hours of satisfaction for minimal motor activity. All he had to do was move his mouth. Passing by the nurses station, he smiled broadly at Nurse Brenda and said, "Good afternoon Brenda! I think you're just _glowing _today." Brenda widened her eyes in surprise and stared at him as he limped past.

On the other side of the hospital spectrum, Lisa Cuddy was having a very busy day. She had already suffered through two board meetings, met with three different very important potential donors, signed what seemed like the equivalent of the Black Forest in papers, and she had yet to hear from House, which meant he was brewing something to unexpectedly explode in her face. She heaved a sigh and sat back in her chair, allowing herself one small moment of relaxation. But then House pushed through her door, without knocking of course. She could hear the unavailing cries of objection from her assistant fading in the background, "She said she wasn't to be dist..."

"House. Now is not a great time. So unless your patient is bleeding at three gallons per minute, I will ask you to come back later." She assumed a defeated position, kneading her forehead with her fingertips. "I've had a very busy day and I can't deal with whatever disaster you've got for me."

House narrowed his eyes at her, leaning casually on his cane, "No disaster. I've got no case. I'm bored. Entertain me."

Cuddy's head shot up, suddenly indignant, "Entertain you! What the hell do you think you're doing? Get out, House!"

"Bad time for you right now? Or just bad time of month? If my calendar is correct, you should have finished this month's cycle last Tuesday."

She shot him a look, "You keep track of my cycle? That's creepy." She got up from behind her desk and grabbed his arm, wheeling him around and leading him towards her door. "Go play your little video games or something. Or watch General Hospital. Or, hey, maybe you can even go be a doctor like it says on your job description and do some clinic hours. Any of those will work. You just can't be in my office."

"But Cuddles," he detached his arm from her surprisingly firm grasp and turned to block the door, "I've already done all those things, if you don't count the clinic part. And I can't do clinic right now, the monkey I usually send down there as my substitute is in for Wilson today. See? I'm out of options and you, as my almighty powerful boss, need to give me something to do."

An image of a monkey in a lab coat suddenly flashed through Lisa Cuddy's mind and it was all she could do not to crack a smile. Because that would mean point for House. And since she didn't have the height advantage, she needed all the points she could get to keep up with him.

"Ok, you want something to do? Answer your mail for once."

"Check. Cameron's doing it."

"Help out in the ER."

"Can't, all those busy nurses running around might trip on my cane. Which I may or may not swing around dangerously." He leaned closer and whispered dramatically, "Would seriously jeopardize the lives countless burn victims and drug over-dosers."

Cuddy closed her eyes and sighed, hands on her hips. "Fine. What do I have to do to get you out of my hair for today?"

"Anything I want?" he asked hopefully, his eyebrows at attention.

"Within. Reason." She was beginning to regret this whole conversation. She should have just ignored him. He would have gotten bored sooner or later and left on his own accord. Now she was playing some ridiculous game with him.

House pondered. He needed to think about this. Cuddy so rarely gave him free reign to chose the game. This had to be something worth while. Something that would be massively skewed to play out to his advantage.

"Okay, I'll disappear for today and do nothing – disruptive – if you agree to be nice to me for a week. And I mean _really _nice."

Cuddy frowned at him. "I have to be nice to you for a week? That's all? Does not talking to you count as being nice?"

House scrunched up his nose, "Sure, why not. But if you fail at this task, Mistress Cuddy, I shall have my way with you." He waggled his eyebrows and leered at her suggestively.

Cuddy slowly grinned and turned her back to him, "Not a chance House. This is too easy. You see, not all of us are blessed with callous wit and misanthropy. Some of us," she smiled broadly, "are nice without having to pretend." She leaned back in her chair, as if already victorious.

House narrowed his eyes and grinned wickedly, "We'll see, Cuddles. We'll see."

...

Review, review, review!!

Music: Panda Bear – Good Girl/Carrots


	2. Chapter 2

Update! It's almost 3 in the morning but hey, I'm not tired and it's Saturday tomorrow so why not develop my insomnia some more?

...

The day had passed with little more incident for Lisa Cuddy. It was approaching dinnertime and her stomach growled at her insistently. She couldn't remember whether she'd had lunch or not. Deciding to abandon her email until the morning, she clicked her way tiredly down to the cafeteria as her stomach gave another feeble wiggle. So foggy was her mind that she didn't even realize until too late the solid form of Gregory House in front of her until she ran headlong into him, knocking him off-balance.

"Oh House, what are you d..."

"Ah ah ah, be careful Cuddy. You need to be _nice_. Remember?" He fluttered his eyelids at her innocently.

Lisa Cuddy recovered quickly, "Why Dr. House, I'm so sorry to have knocked into you. Are you quite alright?"

House suddenly and without warning collapsed into a heap on the ground, howling in mock-pain and grabbing his leg. "I think you've broken something! I need a doctor! This madwoman's broken my leg! My _other _leg!"

"House, stop yelling! It's late!" But then she caught herself. "Dr. House. Where does it hurt? Would you like help to an exam room?"

House looked up at her, then sprang up to his feet. "Nope, I can manage. And you almost just lost."

Cuddy shook her head, "No way, I was 100 nice to you just then."

"I could get used to this, you know. One day down, six more to go. Of course, you could make this much easier for yourself and just succumb to my dashing good looks and obvious prowess in the bedroom." He loomed over her to peer down her shirt. "I know you're dying to see me naked. I mean, I certainly am."

Cuddy pushed past him, hiding her grin, "Goodnight, Dr. House. Make sure you get plenty of bedrest for that broken leg of yours."

...

Sitting in the dim light of the all but empty cafeteria, Cuddy let her brain wind down. Methodically placing fruit slices in her mouth, she let her thoughts drift. They drifted away from work and the hospital and landed, as they usually do, on House. She almost blushed when he said that she was dying to see him naked, because, well quite frankly, she wouldn't mind that so much. She shook her head, stuffing an orange slice into her mouth and biting down. As much attraction as she felt for him, she knew it would never work out. A few nights of passionate sex would all it would amount to. And then things would be awkward between them, endangering their working relationship and both their jobs. No, she thought to herself, House was best kept at arm's length. If anything, it would be better for her sanity. The stroke of midnight saw Lisa Cuddy sitting alone in the hospital cafeteria alone, chewing thoughtfully on healthy that the Dean of Medicine would permit into her body.

Midnight found Greg House sitting similarly alone in his apartment at his piano keyboard. His fingers glided effortlessly over the white and black keys, striking chords and creating riffs that popped into his head for a second, rung in the air and disappeared again into the ether. Sometimes he felt that vicodin and the piano were all that sustained him. And her, of course. For all his convincing facade of being the grizzly independent bachelor, House couldn't deny his attraction to Lisa Cuddy. He couldn't discount how much she meant to him. He didn't even realize it, but through the years, she's been in his thoughts every day. Their arguments, the moments he made her laugh, the quiet moments between them, the loud ones. All melded together and formed a happy lump in his subconscious. He loved baiting her, he loved the banter, the look of frustration on her face when he did something mildly illegal and blatantly unethical. The look that he often wanted to dispel by grabbing her and kissing her into next week.

Speaking of next week. House pondered how to play out his advantage in this new game. For clearly he had the advantage. The plan, for now, is to wreak havoc everywhere he can in order to incur her wrath. Which theoretically shouldn't be difficult at all, seeing how often she yells at him. "Clinic, House! You can't do that, House! Are you out of your mind, House? Stop staring at my chest, House!" Oh yeah, he smiled to himself, this was gonna be easy. And once she loses? House let a particularly jaunty melody flow from his fingertips. Once she loses, the real fun will begin.

...

The next morning found House in the clinic, surprisingly.

Lisa Cuddy heard the knock and lifted her head to see Wilson peering through the glass. She motioned for him to come in.

"You'd better get down to clinic, Lisa."

She furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"House is there," said Wilson, working hard to hide a smile.

"Oh is he? Well that's surprising. Has he already set someone on fire?"

Wilson looked gleeful. "Well not yet, but he's set himself a goal to," Wilson looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember, "call at least four people grossly obese," he held up one finger. "Recommend chemotherapy to at least three others due to the fact they have a suspicious tumor growing out of their nose, and" he held up a third finger, "what was the last one? Oh yes, he's gonna pretend not to speak English to the rest."

Cuddy was already out of the door, storming down the hall. So this was his little game huh? Well he wasn't going to win it. If he wants to play dirty, he'll have to reap the consequences. The hospital staff that saw her swore they saw the tiles shuddering under the attack of her heels.

...

Eh?

Music: Vampire Weekend – Mansard Roof


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, just so everyone knows, I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this fic. Seriously. I just make it up as I go along. So if this whole thing seems highly improbable and strange, you know why.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!

...

Cuddy pushed open the door to Exam room 3 to find Dr. House wildly gesticulating to a bewildered patient.

"Abeziatnikov atek bulshok?" House looked expectantly at the portly balding man sitting before him.

"I can't understand Russian, or whatever that is. Don't you speak English?" He looked up suddenly at Cuddy, "Hi, ma'am, could you help me? I don't think my doctor speaks English."

She shot him a deeply apologetic look, "Sir, I'm very sorry, but this is one of our long-term psychiatric patients. I just don't know how he managed to wander down here by himself. Come along, Greggy," she addressed House with a sweet smile and a tone one would usually take with a toddler. "Let's get you back to your room okay?"

She grabbed House's arm firmly and bodily dragged him from the room. House gave the man back his file, "The puffiness in your eye is due to a food allergy, Mr. Kelvin. Some antihistamines and you'll be right as rain."

Cuddy quickly closed the door on the man's, if possible, even more confused face.

"Dr. House, if it would be convenient for you, I'd like to speak with you in my office. Right now."

House gave her a smug look and yelled, "Jesus Cuddy, you want it _again_? We did it barely two hours ago!" He limped after her loudly clacking heels and, passing a nurse said, "Utterly insatiable, that woman."

After closing the door to her office, Lisa Cuddy swung around to fix her most stern stare on House. "Ok House, what can I do to get you to _not _insult my clinic patients?"

House peered at her through narrowed eyes, "I get another freebie? Don't you feel like you're slowly slipping in this game? You've been giving me free reign left and right, letting me name my price." He walked towards her slowly, invading her personal space, "What's your strategy? Come on Cuddy, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Here I'll even go first. My plan is to annoy you as much as possible."

"Yeah, I'd figured that part out." Cuddy glared up him defiantly. "And my plan is simply to be nice to you. Wasn't that your plan as well?" she asked innocently.

House eyed her suspiciously and said slowly, "No, my plan is to first annoy then, which will then get you to lose, which will then give me a free pass to a very happy place indeed." He arched one eyebrow.

"You're doing all this to get into my pants?"

"Plus it's really fun annoying you."

Cuddy stepped sideways and escaped his general vicinity. "Well, good luck because it's not gonna happen."

"Which part, the getting in your pants or annoying you part? Because I'm pretty sure I can cross off annoying you already. I mean by now my very presence should trigger a headache for you automatically. Fascinating medically, really. That the very fact of my pr-"

"Ok House," she cut him off, "I get it. I simply have to suck it up and play along." She sat down at her desk and smiled at him. "You'll get your way in this one."

"Wait a minute. What I actually want is for your lose at this little game of ours. I could care less about whether you're nice to me or not, although I suppose that would have its perks for a while. Are you really going to take as much crap as I have to offer in my incredibly vast crap-stores? I warn you Cuddy, my warehouse is stocked to the rafters in almost every brand of crap you can imagine."

Cuddy leaned forward and regarded him craftily, "Aren't you smart, Dr. House. You should have been a psychiatrist with that razor sharp intellect. Took you next to no time to figure me out completely."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"House, I have to deal with you every day. My crap-tolerance is exceedingly high. Plus, I'll even be extra nice and relieve you of clinic duty for the week."

Ordinarily, this would have been like Christmas in July for House, but if he couldn't be in the clinic, and it's not like he wanted to be down there anyway, there was no ready-made location in which to cause havoc.

"Aha, evil Mistress Cuddy! I see through your plan. You want to keep me out of everyone's way for the rest of the week. You sure you want to keep the best doctor in the entire hospital completely idle? I'm not so certain the Board would be so happy about this."

Cuddy's face blanched. "Don't, don't even think about involving the Board. This is strictly between us and you know it. Involving the Board would jeopardize my job, and by association, your job."

House pretended to shudder with cold, "Oooh, brrr, how coldly logical of you. But wait, do I detect a hint of scolding in your tone there? You know my sensitive heart can pick up even the slightest hints of deviation from the path of niceness."

"Nope, no hint of scolding whatsoever. Do whatever you like House. In fact I'm late for a meeting with the Board right now. I'll be sure to tell them you've been very busy in the Morgue lately." She hastily grabbed some folders on her way out the door. "Huh, you know what's weird about the Morgue? The deceased won't care if you insult them." She flashed him a smile as she closed the door.

House stared at her retreating back. Morgue huh? Well that wouldn't be very fun. Possibly even more boring than the clinic and definitely more boring than annoying Cuddy. He'll have to think of something else.

...

Sorry for the slow chapter. I'll move it along next chapter, pinky promise.

Music: Sparklehorse – King of Nails


	4. Chapter 4

Reviews are the stuff of life! Keep 'em coming everyone!

...

"Hey Cuddy!" House yelled at her quick moving figure. The Morgue had been, as he predicted, boring. But when he tried to go back to clinic for Round 2 of more fun, none of the nurses would give him a case. Simply refused. In fact they treated him like a psych patient. This had 'Cuddy' stamped all over it. Apparently she was serious when she said no more clinic duty for him. No matter, he had spent the past hour devising a mastermind booby trap for the ER. The people who come in for bumps and bruises can afford to be banged up a little more. House was certain they wouldn't mind.

Cuddy, meanwhile, had disappeared into her office after hearing House calling her name. As if that had ever stopped him before. Seconds later, as she predicted, House appeared in her office, looking at her in that way he does.

"House," she sighed deeply. "Not now. Really not now."

House frowned, tilting his head sideways and giving her a long look. Something seemed...off. "What's up Cuddles? Rough Board meeting?"

"You have no idea." She retreated behind her desk and stared out the window.

Her shoulders were slumped, arms hugging her elbows. At that moment House had never seen her look so small, so defeated. Something was definitely up. Lisa Cuddy hid the stresses of the day better than House hides his secret-secret-secret stash of vicodin. House sidled up to join her at the window and glanced sideways at her.

"You okay?"

She didn't reply but nodded mutely and continued staring through her office window, her eyes fixed on an imaginary point on the pavement outside. The small crease that only House noticed between her eyebrows deepened, usually signaling a lethal dose of House-berating.

"Earth to Cuddy. What are you thinking about?"

She suddenly heaved a sigh, turned around and plopped herself down on her chair, swiveled around and began shuffling papers on her desk.

"What do you want, House? Speak your piece and then get out of my hair." She looked up, remembering their game, "Please."

But she gave him a look of such sadness that House was caught speechless for a moment. The emotion he had expected to see was annoyance, or even pretend sweetness in accordance with their game. But this...this look was different. She seemed defenseless, not at all the fierce Dean of Medicine he was accustomed to sparring with.

"Ok, but first you have to tell me what's up. This isn't tired Cuddy and this isn't PMS-ing Cuddy. What's wrong," his tone suddenly descended to something gentler than he had meant it to.

"Nothing's wrong House, I'm just really tired that's all." She folded her hands and rested her elbows on her desk, "Now what services can I offer you, O brilliant Head of Diagnostics?"

"Come on Cuddy, if I had just met you I'd know something was up." He narrowed his eyes at her, "You were never good at lying, especially to me. So why don't you tell me what's going on, because I'm convinced something is going on. And you know I won't stop bugging you until either you've told me, or convinced me that nothing is up." He leaned closer, "Yeah I know, Persistent is my middle name."

Cuddy shot him an exasperated look, "Really? I could've sworn the file said Stubborn." She huffed at him, "Fine, fine, I'm just having some problems with my mom lately. She's...she can be difficult sometimes. Ok are you happy now? I told you it was nothing."

House remained suspicious. "When did you speak to your mom?"

Cuddy looked up distractedly, surprised at the question, "What? This morning, I guess. Why?"

"Because you were fine this morning. You were no different from normal this morning. You only became...more sad this second time I've seen you today. What changed between those few hours?" He screwed up his face to think. "Bad interview with a donor? Oh god, you didn't lead them through a tour of the ER did you?"

Cuddy shook her head, "No, I didn't. Why what's wrong with the ER?"

"Oh nothing. Forget I said that."

"House? What's wrong with the ER?" she asked a little more sternly.

House assume what he hoped was an innocent look. At that moment, her phone suddenly rang.

"Excuse me," she said and answered the phone.

House began making his exit while Cuddy fixed him with a glare, still on the phone, "All over the floor of the ER? Yes thank you Sarah I'll speak to the janitorial staff right now." And she put the phone down, rushing to block the door, preventing House's leaving.

"Dr. House, I've just gotten a report of a large puddle of fruit from the cafeteria all over the ER floor. Apparently the slices of cantaloupe spelled 'Cuddylicious'. Would you happen to know anything about this?"

"Fruit? I don't like fruit, and what a wasteful thing to do? Whoever did that must really enjoy both you and fruit, so it definitely couldn't have been me." He sidestepped Cuddy's imposing figure and made a mad dash for the elevator. For the time being, he had just won a point, but the nagging question of Cuddy's brief change in behavior weighed on his mind.

...

Ho hum, what's wrong with Cuddy? I hope you all are enjoying reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. :D

Music: Stars – Your Ex-lover is Dead


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for reviews, once again!

...

After the fruit incident, House had gotten a visit from Wilson, who read aloud from a piece of paper a long tirade about wasting hospital property and endangering patients, doctors and nurses alike. It also called House childish and irresponsible, and warned that if anything like this ever happened again he would find the legs of his piano sawed off. Wilson wouldn't say who it was from though.

The next few days passed with relative calm. The hospital was a well-oiled machine and every gear worked as it should with Lisa Cuddy pouring in the grease wherever it was needed. House had had the locks changed in his apartment after that threatening message and had refrained from any misbehavior of late.

House looked up from his computer at Wilson knocking on his office door.

"Hey House. Umm," he shifted uneasily, "Have you heard?"

House frown at his friend, "Heard what? I haven't been by the nurses station lately. What gossip have you come to tell me?"

Wilson looked uncomfortable. "You'd better go pay Cuddy a visit, then. I don't want to be the one to tell you." And he disappeared.

House sprang to his feet as quickly as his aching leg could let him, popped a vicodin into his mouth and paused to savor the psychological effect of the pill's bitter taste in his mouth. He jabbed almost too fiercely at the elevator button.

Lisa Cuddy sat at her desk, organizing the contents of her inbox. She looked up at House's face peering at her through the glass in her door.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

House arched one eyebrow and squinted at her with the other eye, "A little bird told me there was a piece of gossip floating around this office and I'm here as the early worm to snatch it."

Cuddy glared at him, "The Nurse's Station is in the opposite direction, House."

"Wilson said to come here."

"Wilson is too kind to you."

House jerked his head in agreement, "That's only because I let him play with my waffle-maker twice a week," he waggled his eyebrows, "If you know what I mean."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a surgeon House recognized popped his head in. Cuddy smiled at him, "Dr. Hill, what can I do for you?" The admirable doctor had been with the hospital for a long time, and Cuddy had always liked him and his friendly demeanor.

"Dr. House," he nodded to House in acknowledgment, "Hi Dr. Cuddy, I just wanted to wish you luck." He extended a hand towards Cuddy, who shook it warmly. "I've really enjoyed working with you these years, Lisa." Cuddy smiled back and expressed her thanks, "Me too, Paul. And thanks."

The surgeon smiled one last time and left. House watched him go and wheeled around, "What was he talking about?"

Cuddy looked at him with a pained expression. "Well of course you don't check your email."

He shook his head, "No, Cameron does it."

Cuddy stood up and turned to face the window, "Remember that Board meeting a few days ago? You were right, I wasn't upset about my mom, and it wasn't a bad donor interview." Her voice shook a little as she turned to face him. "I'm leaving Princeton-Plainsboro, House. I just sent out an email telling everyone that I needed a change in my life. New direction and blah blah blah." She waved her hands distractedly. House suddenly noticed tears shining on her face. All of a sudden, he felt his chest muscles constrict tightly.

"And what's the real reason?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Cuddy smiled sadly at him, "The Board's letting me go. They weren't happy with the Pelman case. Said I didn't handle the best way."

"That's bullshit! The kid would've died if you hadn't approved that biopsy," yelled House, enraged at the Board. Board of Idiots, more like. What right did they have to blame her for something that saved a young girl's life?

"Those idiots wouldn't know a scalpel from a pair of tweezers. Did they even read the case file? You saved her life, don't they reali-"

"It's you, House!" she screamed at him, a wild look in her eyes. Then a little softer, "The Pelman case was just the last straw. They don't think I can control you." She laughed suddenly, "A maniac doctor running around unchecked, cutting into people on whims, even though the whims save lives." She looked at him sadly, "Life doesn't work like that, House. There are rules. And until you make the rules, you have to answer to somebody." She added quietly, "I have to answer to somebody."

House stood there, stunned. "You're getting fired. Because of me?"

Cuddy turned a pair of blue eyes up at him, swimming with tears. "Yeah, House. Essentially, that about covers it."

House walked to her, reached a hand up and brushed away the tears streaking her left cheek with his thumb.

"I'm sorry," he said, barely audible. Then, without another word, turned a walk out of her office, leaving Cuddy standing alone in the middle of her office, tears still streaming down her face.

...

Oooo evil evil me.

Music: Puccini – La Boheme – O Soave Fanciulla


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, relief for everyone is in order.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone to reviewed! You guys really don't know how gratifying it is to know that people are enjoying your writing.

...

Cuddy stared at the closing door, tears still streaming down his face. By rights she should be furious at him. She should be kicking and scratching at him, metaphorically. She should be cursing him to Hell and back again for screwing up his career. Her carefully built, immaculately amazing career that she worked her ass off to achieve, all to be flushed down the toilet by this self-centered misanthropic old jerk. She sighed heavily. But she wasn't mad. She wasn't mad because every time he looked at her with those piercing blue eyes, she felt her stomach do a somersault. Because every time they bickered and fought and called each other names no two people in a professional relationship ever should, she got an adrenaline high. And every time she was on the brink of firing him for some stupid stunt he'd just pulled, she couldn't do it because she couldn't imagine life at PPTH without him. And she didn't want to.

What would she have done about it? The Board was completely right. She couldn't control House. She could never control House. That was the game between them, he asks her for something ridiculous, she emphatically refuses him, he wheedles her and brow-beats her and teases her about her chest and behind and she eventually realizes he's a brilliant doctor and agrees to the ridiculous thing he asked for. And now she was paying for it. Now she was losing her job.

She looked around her office, the place she spent most of her time, her home away from home. She snorted lightly. Like her home was really much of a home. Just an empty shell of a house that happened to contain a number of her personal material belongings. A home was supposed to be a place for memories, and it seemed most of her important memories were at the hospital. With House, said a small voice in her head.

She sank down on her couch, massaging her scalp with her fingernails. Well, she thought to herself, the change wouldn't be unwelcome. She could serve as a part-time board member of another hospital. Wouldn't mean much work for her and she could actually try to develop a personal life.

She sighed again and started gathering some belongings and put them in an empty box.

...

"Dr. House, we understand and appreciate your concern for Dr. Cuddy, but this is most irregular."

House looked across each face of the hospital Board. He had coerced each of them into meeting with him on short notice to discuss Cuddy.

"Look," he said, glaring at them from across a long shiny table, probably made of some kind of very expensive wood, "you can't fire her because I sometimes don't follow the rules. What exactly has she ever done to you that compels you to make an example of her? So her successor will know to fire me the first chance they get? Yeah that's real practical for everyone involved. Cause if that's the case you might as well just fire me now, lose an impulsive doctor and keep a really good Dean of Medicine." He looked down at his reflection, deep creases appearing in his forehead. "At least that makes sense."

The members of the Board looked at one another with dubious expressions. House watched them for a moment, "Come on guys, besides me, is there any reason you want to fire Cuddy? I mean really," he threw up his hands, "this hospital will crash and burn without her. Do you really want to see that?"

The Board now looked uncomfortable. "Uh Dr. House, why don't you give us a minute?"

...

A sharp knock on the glass door of his office made him look up. Cuddy stood there, looking almost nervous. House looked at her expectantly, "Come for some afternoon delight? We should do this in your office, mine has glass walls."

She cracked a small smile, "I uhh just got a visit from the Chairman of the Board. I've been reinstated. They said they reconsidered their decision, said they didn't feel it was in the best interest of the hospital to change administrators at this time. Do you know anything about this?"

"Are you...happy about that?" He watched her carefully.

She tilted her head slightly, "Yes, of course. I...well, thank you House. What did you promise them in return?"

"Nothing I can't live without. Go unpack your office."

She smiled at him strangely, turned around and walked out of his office. But not before smiling at him again through his glass walls.

House leaned back in his chair. He'd gotten a kick out of seeing her happy like that. An even bigger kick knowing that he'd had a hand in that directly. Even if that meant a few more lives lost because he'd promised to inform the Board on every move he makes in every case. His hands would be tied, but it's worth it. Worth her staying.

He grabbed a rubber band and twisted it around in his hands. It always helped him think. This was so unlike him that he even recognized it himself. He frowned internally. He must really like Cuddy if he was willing to go to such extremes to keep her here. To keep her near him. When he heard that she was getting fired because of him, it was unbearable. As cold-hearted as he usually appeared to everyone else, it really tugged at him almost to the point of guilt. And _that_ was a big emotion for him. Cuddy had to mean a heck of a lot to him for him to actually feel guilt.

...

See? All better!

Music – no music this time, watching House while writing this.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for no update yesterday everyone, I had to go up to the SF office today and consequently had to wake up at an ungodly hour this morning. Well, at least 8 am is ungodly to me. And now I'm on the Caltrain back from SF, writing this when all the businesspeople around me are one their own laptops, busy with Excel spreadsheets and other important things. I think I'd like to live in SF after graduation. It's a lovely city.

...

Cuddy was feeling pretty smug. The next day was the last day of House's little game. And if she was correct in her assumptions, she hadn't been mean to House even once. Well, indirectly she had been quite mean, if threatening to saw off the legs of his piano was considered mean. And she had gotten her job back.

Cuddy smiled inwardly. If there was anything good about House, it was the fact that he never ceased to surprise her. Of course it was him who spoke to the Board, she didn't even need to ask. She had sent out another email to everyone in the hospital saying that she simply loved her work at PPTH too much to leave. And it had been true. Because the hospital was what she had instead of a family, instead of a child, instead of a relationship. And House had given it back to her. Of course, he wouldn't have needed to give anything back if he would just learn to follow rules. But still. It was, in a way, the best present House ever gave her. Not that House gave her presents much. Sure she got the annual holiday bunch from colleagues from the hospital, but nothing personal. Funny how the closest thing came from someone she'd least expect it from.

The fact that she was about to win this bet was just the icing on the cake. Again, courtesy of House. She'd have to remember to thank him for all this entertainment someday.

"Cuddy?"

She looked, the silly grin she had pasted on her face sliding off like mud off a slope in rain. She been expecting him to come and wheedle her for all he was worth. She smiled sweetly, blinking her eyes innocently.

"Yes, Dr. House? What can I do for you?"

The truth was, she was slightly worried. He had an expression on his face that reminded her of a pampered fat dog who knew his fat tummy was about to be filled with delicious chunks of meat. The look on a human, on House no less, was extremely discomfiting. And slightly scary.

"Good afternoon, Cuddles. I see that the spider is back in her lair."

Cuddy looked at him with what she hoped was a menacing expression. "House, if you're here to try and win our little game, can I just remind you that any further incidents concerning your usual blatant disregard for rules will just get me fired again? After you worked _so _hard to get me reinstated, I really just can't let you do something so stupid."

House narrowed his eyes at her, then blinked and beamed widely. "Then I have the perfect solution!"

Cuddy raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. She wasn't going to like this. No, she definitely wasn't going to like this at all.

House spread his arms wide and said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "All you have to do, is call me one bad name, just be as you usually are to, a mean controlling bitch absolutely filled with administrative need. Just call me an idiot, or dense, or a dense idiot. Any of those combinations will work, really. And there we are, problem solved. Impasse passed. We can dust off our jackets and go about our daily lives."

Cuddy regarded him a second, then pushed her chair out and stood up. The ball was in her court now, and she fully intended to dribble it all the way down the stretch and put a move on him. Her lips curved upwards sensuously and she sashayed her way around her desk and towards him.

"But House, if I don't do any of those things, and you know I won't, think of what will happen." She stepped nearer with every word. "You," she was close enough to tap a fingertip on his chest now, "will of course do something to disrupt the hospital, which the Board will of course hear about." She dragged her fingertip slowly across his chest and around his right shoulder. She thought she could feel him trembling a little. "And once the Board finds out that you've," she breathed quietly into his ear, "misbehaved again, they'll have no choice but to fire me. Again. And this time I have a feeling nothing you can do will make them change their minds." She continued circling him slowly, all the time dragging her fingertip across his shoulders, chest and back. "And then I'll be gone. But there's one thing that doesn't make sense." She paused in front of him and arranged her face into a look of fake puzzlement. "Why would you go to such lengths to get the Board to reinstate me? Because I know that couldn't have been easy for you. I don't what you had to give up for it, but I'll find out sooner or later." She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "That must mean you really like me. A lot."

And what was House going through during Cuddy's little soliloquy? Well, at first he rolled his eyes a little, but then his skin started involuntarily shivering in response to the sensation of Cuddy's fingernail making contact with his chest. And then the little minx started circling him, forcing him to shut his mind and think about grandmothers in lederhosen or else something very embarrassing would happen. When he realized she'd stopped talking, he let his mind wander back into her office and away from lederhosen. But then of course there was another problem. She was standing inches away from him with a very adorable expression on her face. And so, he did the only thing that could have the slightest chance of preserving his sanity.

He kissed her. Just leaned forward and closed the few short inches between his lips and hers. And kissed her. Just like that. Her lips were petal soft, as he expected, but all too soon, the nice sensation was taken away. She had pulled back.

Cuddy stared at him in shock. House couldn't tell whether she wanted to slap him into the next election, or jump him right then and there. And frankly, she couldn't tell either.

After an agonizing few seconds when House thought his testicles were in serious danger of becoming separated from the rest of his body, Cuddy reached out two hands, forcibly grabbed the front of his sports jacket and crushed her lips to his, this time in a much more passionate kiss than the one they just shared.

No more petal soft lips this time, House decided. This time was ocean waves crashing on volcanic rock. The too-loud crash of a cymbal in a middle of a rock concert. Or perhaps just perfection. He couldn't really decide. But he supposed any of those would do, it was actually probably all of the above. Yes that seemed to describe their relationship perfectly. Tumultuous, but perfect. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

When they finally pulled away for air, he cocked an eyebrow at her, "So I guess I got my way in the end?"

She glared back at him, "I still won." And with a smile, pulled him down for Round 2 of their new little game.

...

Okay, I think I shall end it there. Good stopping point as any.

Well what did everyone think? This was really an attempt to keep them in character, yet still get them together. I think I need to write more House/Cuddy in the future. They're such a fun pairing! Lots of snappy dialog one can make up.

Thanks for reading!

Music – Jason Mraz – Make It Mine


End file.
